What does God say about sexuality?

The Church is often seen as a group of people that hate sex. There, I said it. I thought about saying the Church is filled with prudes or that we are scared of sexuality, but that is too nice. Hear me out. I did not say Christ followers hate sex; I am saying the world thinks we do! Why? Because most of the time when there is a question about sex or sexuality, we say “No!” or “Don’t!” instead of “Yeah!” or “Have fun!”

While we can’t change the teaching God has revealed to us, we can certainly get a more complete perspective on what He says. God is the Creator of man and woman. He gave us sex and sexuality so we could know love, know companionship, know unity and receive His blessings through children. The trouble isn’t that believers hate sex; it is that we don’t appreciate it enough!

I often am asked to help my parents buy new technology, not because I am particularly savvy with technology, but I do tend to be one of the more informed in the circles my parents run in. To make a long story short, they always want the fastest processor and the biggest hard drive when what they do more often than anything is play Solitaire and stalk their grandchildren on Facebook. Often those fast processors and expansive hard drives don’t get used for what they are intended and my parents don’t get the full benefit of those gifts.

What a great blessing and privilege to know the physical intimacy that sexual intercourse brings to a man and woman given in marriage. Like anything, when we are given an amazing gift but don’t know how to use it, we often end up wasting it or underappreciating it. Sexuality, when used as a gift to be given rather than a prize to be won, changes everything! “The two shall become one flesh” Ephesians 5:31. When sexuality is given any other way than in a lifelong commitment, the two become one… for a time. This lessens the power of God’s promise for He desires, “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 9:16.

The gift of sexuality and what an amazing gift it is from God will be explored this weekend as we try to answer the question, “What does God say about sexuality?”

To hear this week’s sermon click here:

In His service and yours,

Pastor Erik Gauss

 

Leadership

To be fair, there were not many requests for a sermon asking what God says about “leadership”. However, there were multiple requests that have leadership at their root: parenting, Christian businesses, husbands, wives, living as a Christian in a non-Christian world. The topic of leadership is a challenging concept because Christians often see themselves as followers, and rightly so!

How do we resolve the tension between being a follower of Jesus and a leader of men? The answer lies with the understanding of what God says about leadership. The world says leaders are hard driving, unwavering charismatic people that others are drawn to. Jesus says leaders are servants first, “So the last shall be first and the first last” Matthew 20:16.

This weekend Rev. Stephen Wiesenauer shared  his experiences as a Christian leader around the world. Stephen has been a missionary to Asia for nearly eight years but is also a husband and father. Our Christian walk leads us on a journey where those who are the most humble, the most unassuming are the greatest leaders of faith.

This is a challenging truth that the devil does not want believers to grasp. He has come to deceive, distract and destroy and works diligently to get faithful people to take a back seat when it comes to leadership. God calls us, as people of faith, to recognize we are leaders when we believe in Christ because so many people do not believe.

Parents are leaders of their children; children are called to be models to unbelieving children. Managers are leaders of their work environment; Christian employees are leaders to their co-workers. An unbeliever is looking to a believer to determine “what God is all about”. We are lights shining in the darkness, leaders of faith in a faithless world and sent to live out the reality. “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12. Come hear Stephen and hear God’s Word for strength to live life, leading others, to the glory of God.

 

To listen to this week’s sermon click here:

 

In His service and yours,

Pastor Erik Gauss

 

ENOUGH!

Enough?!?

 

Recently the family and I went to Carrabba’s Italian Restaurant. This is our family favorite and a very special treat for famiversaries (an anniversary spent with the whole family) or Alicia’s birthday. After you receive your entrée they bring around the Parmesan cheese and grate it over your food. The waiter will not stop grating until you indicate you have enough! Usually one of the adults makes that decision for the girls, but in an effort to let them make more of their own decisions as they get older, we allowed the two oldest to decide themselves when they had enough. I am certain you can imagine the resulting pile of cheese!

Some things in life there never seem to be enough of: cheese, fall nights, ice cream, good times with friends, money. No matter how many or how often we have these things, we crave more. Most people would agree that fall evenings and good times with friends are great experiences that can build us up. Most people also agree too much cheese and ice cream will likely lead to some digestive and health issues. When it comes to money people have varying opinions. Some say money is evil because it corrupts; others say money makes the world go round. Some believe security is found in wealth, and great wealth brings great security. Still others believe the wealthy are obligated to provide for the poor.

This weekend we are going to talk about money and what God says about it. We had multiple requests to address this issue from multiple perspectives: the role of money, tithes and offerings, savings, investments, retirement and legacy planning. Lots of great questions to keep the conversation moving!

Money is how the world chooses to put value on something. People of faith recognize that, while we greatly enjoy this world, it is not of the highest value. Our greatest value is our identity in Christ and eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Rick Warren, a pastor in California, is credited with a famous quote: “Money is a useful servant but a useless god. If you don’t manage money, it manages you.” Let’s see what God says about how to be a great manager of wealth so we can have a healthy perspective on life and be effective in sharing God’s love with a world that desperately needs it! “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12

To listen to this week’s sermon click here:

Have a blessed summer,

Pastor Erik Gauss

 

 

Creation vs. Evolution

This is a perfect question for a believer to ask.  In every way and in every circumstance, “What does God say about this?”  Over the next six weeks we will be asking and answering this question regarding topics submitted by you, the people of Cross!  This week we begin the new series with the topic of Creation vs. Evolution.  You won’t want to miss this one!

This Sunday has  our annual meeting.  EVERYONE celebrated this last year in ministry together and to consider how God is moving us forward in mission together.  We celebrated men’s and women’s ministry ramping up, children’s ministry making some changes, the increased presence of LERT ministry, and many other amazing ways God has blessed.

New ministry opportunities and efforts for the upcoming year include the beginning of a couples’ mentoring ministry, the calling of a Pastor of Human Care and Mission, a part time youth minister, each believer living missionally, the Facility Alignment Team and so much more.  God is at work in and through the people of Cross!

God has given His Church on earth a mission:  to worship Him, grow in Christian community and love the world for His sake.  This journey starts  in the heart and mind of every believer and quickly grows us in compassion for the world!

1 Timothy 2:3-4:  “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

In His service and yours,

Pastor Erik Gauss

To hear this week’s sermon follow here: